In the end, despite our unworthiness, Francis recognizes that we, like all the other creatures he mentions, must praise and bless the Lord – but we humans must go further. We need to give thanks, and we need to serve Him humbly.
Franciscans have a long-established custom of referring to “Sister Death.” Yet Francis did not speak of Sister Death in the Canticle. Writing in his Umbrian vernacular, he was quite intentional in naming this sister he was soon to meet: “Laudato si, mi Signore, per sora nostra Morte corporale.” He speaks of Sister Bodily Death.
What do St. Francis of Assisi and Viktor Frankl, famous psychologist and survivor of four World War II concentration camps, have in common? They both realized that suffering could provide purpose and meaning in our lives. As Francis said in the Canticle and Frankl said in his book Man’s Search for Meaning, when we approach suffering with a meaningful response, we affirm our humanity and our capacity for spiritual growth.
Last May, JPIC animators from around the US gathered at Holy Cross Retreat Center near Las Cruces, NM, to pray, to learn, to build, and to renew connections and commitment. Fr. Ignatius Harding, OFM, (who prefers to be called Br. Iggy) served as our spiritual assistant.
How would you describe spiritual assistance to someone who is not a Secular Franciscan? I have to answer this even for a lot of the friars that I try to recruit to serve. To help someone understand quickly, we have to be nearly complete, very concise, and entirely correct. Think of a priest you know who has never served as a spiritual assistant – what would you say to try to recruit him?
What does it mean to be a child of God? It means relating to God, to ourselves, and to others in a deeply sacred manner. It is a mature identity we assume when we become utterly convinced that we are sons or daughters of God the Father through adoption in Jesus Christ. We reach this new identity when we accept that we were created by God the Father, he loves us passionately, knows us intimately, and will provide for us in every circumstance.
Multicultural relationships involve partners from different cultural backgrounds and can present challenges and opportunities. Effective communication is very important, as language barriers and different cultural expressions can complicate relations. ... Multicultural relationships are justice issues that seek the good of the other person(s). As Franciscans, we are known for our dedication to justice. We strive to bring people together in a society that is fair (or just). Each person needs to feel welcomed to create a diverse OFS community.
The word “encounter” is a buzz word lately, and rightly so. Don’t we all crave community? The presence of others? A real and honest connection between ourselves and the world? We can’t build relationships from a distance.
Our relationship with the International Fraternity, CIOFS, begins with all of us being brothers and sisters of Secular Franciscans around the world. I recall former National Minster, Tom Bello, OFS, telling us that we are members of four fraternities: the local, Regional, National and International Fraternities. We are connected to all Franciscans around the world.
Initial formation is the first step in a lifelong journey of learning, growing and discerning our vocations. ... Ongoing formation provides continuous opportunities for conversion and transformation as we strive to live our Rule. Good formation changes us and challenges us to question how we're doing on that journey. It gives us opportunities to reflect on our lives, the choices we make, the interactions that we have, and if we truly are living life to gospel and gospel to life. Formation supports us to continue growing in our vocation as we study the lives of St. Francis and St. Clare, the OFS Rule, and the gospels.